Local Hero by Nora Roberts Page B

exasperated sigh cut her off. “Here come the buts again.”
    â€œI couldn’t possibly let you do it for nothing.”
    Mitch studied her face. He’d thought her tough at their first meeting, and tough she was—at least on the outside. “Can’t you accept a neighborly gesture?”
    Her lips curved a bit, but her eyes remained solemn. “I guess not.”
    â€œFive bucks a day.”
    This time the smile reached her eyes. “Thank you.”
    He caught the ends of her hair between his thumb and forefinger. “You drive a hard bargain, lady.”
    â€œSo I’ve been told.” Cautiously she took a step away. “Here they come.” Radley hadn’t forgotten his gloves, she noted as she leaned closer to the window. Nor had he forgotten that he’d been taught to walk to the corner and cross at the light. “He’s in heaven, you know. Rad’s always wanted a dog.” She touched a hand to the window and continued to watch. “He doesn’t mention it because he knows we can’t keep one in the apartment when no one’s home all day. So he’s settled for the promise of a kitten.”
    Mitch put a hand on her shoulder again, but gently this time. “He doesn’t strike me as a deprived child, Hester. There’s nothing for you to feel guilty about.”
    She looked at him then, her eyes wide and just a little sad. Mitch discovered he was just as drawn to that as he had been to her laughter. Without planning to, without knowing he’d needed to, he lifted a hand to her cheek. The pale gray of her irises deepened. Her skin warmed. Hester backed away quickly.
    â€œI’d better go. I’m sure they’ll want hot chocolate when they get back in.”
    â€œThey have to bring Taz back here first,” Mitch reminded her. “Take a break, Hester. Want some coffee?”
    â€œWell, I—”
    â€œGood. Sit down and I’ll get it.”
    Hester stood in the center of the room a moment, a bit amazed at how smoothly he ran things—his way. She was much too used to setting her own rules to accept anyone else’s. Still, she told herself it would be rude to leave, that her son would be back soon and that the least she could do after Mitch had been so good to the boy was bear his company for a little while.
    She would have been lying if she’d denied that he interested her. In a casual way, of course. There was something about the way he looked at her, so deep and penetrating, while at the same time he appeared to take most of life as a joke. Yet there was nothing funny about the way he touched her.
    Hester lifted fingertips to her cheek, where his had been. She would have to take care to avoid too much of that sort of contact. Perhaps, with effort, she could think of Mitch as a friend, as Radley did already. It might not sit well with her to be obliged to him, but she could swallow that. She’d swallowed worse.
    He was kind. She let out a little breath as she tried to relax. Experience had given her a very sensitive antenna. She could recognize the kind of man who tried to ingratiate himself with the child to get to the mother. If she was sure of anything, it was that Mitch genuinely liked Radley. That, if nothing else, was a point in his favor.
    But she wished he hadn’t touched her that way, looked at her that way, made her feel that way.
    â€œIt’s hot. Probably lousy, but hot.” Mitch walked in with two mugs. “Don’t you want to sit down?”
    Hester smiled at him. “Where?”
    Mitch set the mugs down on a stack of papers, then pushed magazines from the sofa. “Here.”
    â€œYou know . . .” She stepped over a stack of old newspapers. “Radley’s very good at tidying. He’d be glad to help you.”
    â€œI function best in controlled confusion.”
    Hester joined him on the sofa. “I can see the confusion but not the